The Legend Of The 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4x4 V6

Does It Exist? Or Is It Just a Fairy Tale

[An Auto Insider Special Report]

by Bill Flitter

I have a young daughter so I am pretty verse in the legend of the unicorn — at least up until now. She describes a unicorn as a mythical beast with purple eyes and a single large, pointed, spiraling horn coming out from its forehead.

But why are we talking about unicorns on a car blog? Well, according to ‘legend’ as passed on to me by our very own Carjojo Negotiation Specialists, as told to one of them by unicorn hunters, they know of a unicorn of sorts, but have never actually seen one. In this case, the unicorn is metal and goes by the name of 4Runner. It’s cement in color, it’s elusive — it goes on any surface including mud, snow, and ice and it’s as fast and strong as 270 horses.

I was intrigued, so I decided to hunt for these mythical metal machines myself. Do they really exist, like Nessie and Sasquatch? Or is this just some fable or a character from a children’s book?

Why this matters...

Because of the strong demand, the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4×4 V6 is a dealer’s dream. Legend has it there is a 3-month waiting list to buy one, and it is selling from $5k to $15k over MSRP. There are only approximately 3,000 known to exist.

The Hunt For The Great 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4×4 V6

As 4Runner TRD Pro legend goes, those who have spotted this mythical metal monster say it has magical powers and features. Curious, I set out to find the truth.

They are difficult to catch

They are a symbol of ferociousness, freedom, power, and speed

Unicorns live in groups of four or five

The unicorn may eat grass and hay

Anyone who touches a unicorn will find eternal joy

In the first four months of 2017, 899 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro models were sold. From what what our numbers tell us, April sales are down 12%. However, this has nothing to do with consumer demand. In short, fewer 4Runners arrived from manufactuers to dealers. Matter of fact, new arrivals in April dropped nearly 50% from the month prior.

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins...

The most sought after 4Runner color is Cement. Carjojo was able to find 31 Cement Toyota 4Runner TRD Pros — but we had to hunt (see below). Our search started in a 25 mile radius of 20 of the largest cities in the US. As the chart to the right explains, the average number of this particular SUV on dealer’s lots is one! Exactly 60% of US major metro areas have ZERO Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro models with the color of Cement.

The Best Laid Plans...

The 4Runner TRD Pro does come in one other color — Barcelona Red. However, if you think you can easily get your hands on a Barcelona Red, hold your imaginary horses. As it turns out, we located only 11 Barcelona Red models on dealer lots across the US, bringing this color vehicle to an entirely new category of unicorn!

Carjojo Negotiators See Strong Consumer Demand

Carjojo’s Negotiation Specialists confirmavailability is nonexistent in large metro areas. But theywere able to spot31 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro SUVs in Cement in some less populated cities. Despite the rumor of this SUV selling over MSRP, Carjojo Negotiation Specialists have saved an average of $1,000. However, buyers have to be willing to travel.

What's a Carjojo Negotiation Specialist?

Carjojo Negotiation Specialists are automotive experts who use industry know-how and data analysis to negotiate the lowest possible price with the dealer – so you don’t have to.

Initial Scouting Report

Our search started in a 25 mile radius of the 20 largest cities in the US. As can be seen, the average number of the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4×4 V6 on dealer’s lots is one!

Major Metro

Current Inventory

New York

0

Los Angeles

0

Chicago

0

Houston

0

Philadelphia

1

Phoenix

1

San Antonio

0

San Diego

0

Dallas

0

San Jose

6

Austin

0

San Francisco

4

Indianapolis

0

Columbus

1

Fort Worth

0

Charlotte

0

Jacksonville

1

Seattle

4

Denver

3

El Paso

0

The Myths and Truths of the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

As with any legend, this story grows as it’s passed from person to person. With that in mind, we sought to discover the truth and provide proof that the legend of the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro is real. In summary, yes, this SUV is elusive — nearly as hard to find as Sasquatch and Nessie.

Myth

They are difficult to catch

They are a symbol of ferociousness, freedom, power, and speed

Unicorns live in groups of four or five

The unicorn may eat grass and hay

Anyone who touches a unicorn will find eternal joy

Truth

Without a doubt. Average days on lot is 14

This SUV is made for the serious off-road enthusiast

Yes, some less populated cities have more than one on a lot

This bad-ass 4×4 SUV eats anything you put in front of it, including mud

Get me behind the wheel and you’ll see one happy boy!

Unicorn Sightings

Below are the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4×4 V6 currently on dealer’s lots. For fear that you miss locating this elusive unicorn, get the most up to date inventory prior to starting your journey.

City

State

MSRP

Carjojo Best Price

Carjojo Negotiated Savings

Novato

CA

$ 43,500

$ 41,600

$ 1,900

Centennial

CO

$ 44,400

$ 41,800

$ 2,600

Vacaville

CA

$ 43,800

$ 41,900

$ 1,900

Colorado Springs

CO

$ 44,000

$ 42,100

$ 1,900

Centennial

CO

$ 44,700

$ 42,100

$ 2,600

Tacoma

WA

$ 44,400

$ 42,100

$ 2,300

Seattle

WA

$ 44,500

$ 42,300

$ 2,200

Hayward

CA

$ 45,100

$ 42,800

$ 2,300

Richmond

CA

$ 45,100

$ 42,900

$ 2,200

Kansas City

MO

$ 43,600

$ 43,300

$ 300

Olathe

KS

$ 43,800

$ 43,500

$ 300

Tampa

FL

$ 43,700

$ 43,700

$ –

Hanford

CA

$ 43,800

$ 43,800

$ –

Plover

WI

$ 43,800

$ 43,800

$ –

Spirit Lake

IA

$ 43,900

$ 43,900

$ –

Draper

UT

$ 44,200

$ 44,100

$ 100

Herculaneum

MO

$ 44,500

$ 44,300

$ 200

West Plains

MO

$ 44,400

$ 44,400

$ –

Ft. Pierce

FL

$ 44,600

$ 44,600

$ –

Culpeper

VA

$ 44,500

$ 44,400

$ 100

Daytona Beach

FL

$ 44,500

$ 44,500

$ –

North Platte

NE

$ 44,900

$ 44,700

$ 200

Mesa

AZ

$ 49,000

$ 49,000

$ –

Milpitas

CA

$ 51,100

$ 47,500

$ 3,600

Bountiful

UT

$ 47,300

$ 47,200

$ 100

Burlingame

CA

$ 49,700

$ 46,500

$ 3,200

Houston

TX

$ 45,800

$ 45,600

$ 200

Westminster

MD

$ 45,100

$ 45,000

$ 100

Ottumwa

IA

$ 45,000

$ 44,900

$ 100

Wood Ridge

NJ

$ 44,900

$ 44,900

$ –

Ukiah

CA

$ 44,900

$ 44,900

$ –

Average

$ 45,048.39

$ 44,132.26

$ 916.13

Over To You

So a legend is born. It is said that even if the unicorn is captured, it can never be tamed. I have a feeling with the mud eating beast that is especially true. Let us know if you spot the legend that is the 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro in Cement color in your neighborhood dealer’s lot. Or are you lucky enough to own one already?

About The Auto Insider Report

The Auto Insider Report is Carjojo’s monthly analysis and insight into the current state of the automotive industry. Each mini report takes a deeper look at a specific brand.

We analyze hundreds of millions of data points daily on nearly 100% of new cars on dealers’ lots — over 4 million vehicles (and growing) — across nearly all makes and models. This level of real-time market intelligence is unprecedented in our industry, and unique to Carjojo’s proprietary technology. The aim of our report is to highlight key industry trends, including sales, inventory, bloat, and more, days or even weeks before any other report is made public.

If you have any questions or comments to our report, please feel free to contact us at hello@carjojo.com.

Thank you and enjoy.

-Carjojo Team

SPEND YOUR WEEKEND GETTIN' DIRTY

Choose from any new Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro 4×4 at your local dealer.
We’ll negotiate for you the Lowest Price Guaranteed — Backed by 30 Day Price Match Promise.

35 Comments

Great article and very helpful information in this overwhelming task to find a Toyota 4Runner TRD PRO in cement. I am still on the search, but I feel that your article puts some optimism back in my step. Thanks for sharing!

I was on 10 dealers wait list for 6 months and finally got mine on March 11th. Had to fly and drive it back but totally worth it. I was successful in finding mine because I got in contact with someone at their corporate and they sent me a list of all the allocated 4runners in surrounding states that were not reserved yet. Paid MSRP and was told in March they stopped production of them till February of 2018. Mine got back ordered from February due to the floods in Japan and they get to the US not fully assembled.

Carefully buying any new/preordering 4runners. Almost every dealer promised I could get the truck if I put a deposit down, but then contacted me later saying they “weren’t able to and didn’t know why. Never seen where you can’t order it.” Due to the high demand, dealers are only allocated so many (if any at all). They have such high demand that you cannot even pick the stock features that come one the one you are lucky enough to reserve. Sometimes you have to pay extra to get some things you don’t need/want just to get the truck you want!

[…] I think it makes sense to look around at other options. I can’t quite convince her she needs the Cement-colored 4Runner TRD Pro. That ‘dream’ (my dream) will be put on hold until it’s time to give up my Prius. The next […]

Nice article. I spent all of March searching for the cement TRD Pro 4Runner. I live in so cal so first i contacted all of the nearest dealerships that had listings of TRDPros. Then i started to broaden my search to all of CA and then across the country. What i learned is majority of the time, they’ve been all accounted for. The dealership already has a buyer on their waiting list for that car that’s listed. If the dealership had a waiting list, i asked to be placed on it. If the dealership had a refundable deposit that i could put down, i asked to put one down to secure a spot. I ended up putting down a few deposits and was on a bunch of waiting lists to be contacted when they have an allocation open. The typical wait was around 6 months. Most dealerships in CA were asking for a market value adjustment like your article mentions. I didnt want to pay the extra amount so that’s why my search took awhile. I was lucky to find a lead and I contacted a dealer in Tx. They didn’t have any in stock but they had an open allocation in a month. In addition, they were selling for MSRP! They asked for a non-refundable deposit to show that you are serious. I decided to put one down and I cancelled all the prior deposits and waiting lists. One month later, the car arrives and i find out that the dealership doesnt do contract signings over mail or electronically so instead of having the truck shipped home, we had to fly to Texas and drive it home. After all of the hassle and work put in to search for this truck, it’s totally worth it. I believe it’s still possible to get one this year. Some dealerships have allocations going into 2018 though. If Toyota follows the same thing they’ve been doing: 2015 (Inferno), 2016 (quicksand), 2017 (cement)…. 2018 will be another special color.

Jimmy, wow, Thanks for your sharing your experience! Congrats on landing your TRD Pro. “2018 will be another special color’ – I never thought about that. That’s a really good point. Hmmm, maybe I wait a few months to see the hot new color for 2018.

Thanks Bill! Just got word from a few dealers that the 2018 special color will be the FJ Cruiser color, Calvary Blue. If you like blues, it’ll be perfect for you. You can probably start finding dealers with 2018 allocations too to secure it. Good luck!

I read this article awhile back and all it did was make me want a TRD Pro Cement color even more! I experienced the same things as Jimmy…I would find one and call on it and it was pre sold, or just sold–anything but available! This happened over and over and I was looking coast to coast. I finally found one in Washington Friday and jumped on it! I completely lucked out, it was one that was pre sold, and they backed out. My timing was perfect when I happened to call! I put a deposit down, and am just waiting to receive the paperwork to sign and send the money! Now I can be patient because it has a sold sign on it!

I just picked up my cement one a few days ago. Ordered it through my dealer in Brandon, FL with a deposit on 4/17 and took delivery on 6/28. Awesome vehicle and it turns heads!!! My dealer said that would be the only one they would get for the year. Very Happy!!!

I was on 10 dealers wait list for 6 months and finally got mine on March 11th. Had to fly and drive it back but totally worth it. I was successful in finding mine because I got in contact with someone at their corporate and they sent me a list of all the allocated 4runners in surrounding states that were not reserved yet. Paid MSRP and was told in March they stopped production of them till February of 2018. Mine got back ordered from February due to the floods in Japan and they get to the US not fully assembled.

Careful buying any new/preordering 4runners. Almost every dealer promised I could get the truck if I put a deposit down, but then contacted me later saying they “weren’t able to and didn’t know why. Never seen where you can’t order it.” Due to the high demand, dealers are only allocated so many (if any at all). They have such high demand that you cannot even pick the stock features that come one the one you are lucky enough to reserve. Sometimes you have to pay extra to get some things you don’t need/want just to get the truck you want!

Any questions you have, I can surely answer. It was a journey/process getting my 4runner, but well worth it.

Funny, I went to a dealership in Holiday, Florida and saw one there .. a white one, and I walked out the door paying 39k, they made a mistake in an email they sent me and honored the price … amazing vehicle !

Just picked up my Cement TRD Pro a few weeks ago. Took me about a month to find one. I went on various internet sites that dealers were showing in stock, only to find out they were already sold. Almost gave up, then finally got a hold of a dealer that just got one in that had a deposit on but deal didn’t go through. Gladly gave them a deposit over the phone and drove 5 hours to pick up. Best part about it is they gave me top dollar for my 2015 Black TRD Pro. One thing I learned is that there Pros have a incredable resale value. I’m really enjoying the new Cement Pro, my only problem is my teenage son turns 16 in a few months and is all over it.

My sister, Cindy Long, just bought one in Memphis at Chuck Hutton toyota. It was a special order someone backed out on and she was able to get it.

This was her FB post:

“There are Fun mystical articles written about this CEMENT color TRD PRO 4RUNNER…. almost impossible to get your hands on one…..well I guess I told sooooo many people it is my DREAM Vehicle…. that one of Toyota’s regional Reps had a DEMO that was promised to someone else (higher up)….. well she decided she didn’t want it and others Dealership called and asked for it and she explained how bad I wanted one so they decided that CHUCK HUTTON TOYOTA gets it to sell to ME…. I’ve never written a post soooo long but I just had to…… I may have to get a second job to afford it but…..I’M SO EXCITED….”

My Wonderful little Sister Rondia…. I have been reading articles and articles about the cement color TRD pro forerunner I get mine in two days so all I do is sit around and read about them and I run into an article that my sister wrote about me how crazy and funny and loving is that …. this vehicle is so amazing and so beautiful most people will never see one in person in their life I am honored to have gotten this and yes I do sell Toyota is at Chuck Hutton Toyota in Memphis Tennessee come by and see mine and show me yours ,Cindy Long

This is CRAZY to see my Sister write this about my Journey of FINALLY getting my CEMENT color TRD PRO 4RUNNER….. I get it in 2 Days….. I Love you SIS for Caring enough to write this Anyone can come by and see it in person and or show me your…… Im at CHUCK HUTTON TOYOTA in Memphis Tn

I just got a 2018 Calvary blue form Durango Motor Company Durango Co. I had to put a $500 deposit down and I was third on the waiting list. Number one Backed out , so my salesman did me a solid and got me second in line. I got it for 1000 under MSRP. I have bought a lot of vehicle through him thou. I am happy to have got it, and loving it. I had a 2010 Trail teams FJ with low miles and got almost what i paid originally as a trade in. These truck based Toyotas are a dying breed and in high demand still.

Wow, I knew I was lucky to land one but didn’t realize how lucky till I read this. Went to the dealership in town in January and they didn’t even want to look for one. They just said good luck finding one. So I resigned myself to getting the Off Road Premium model. Contacted the next closest dealer (hour and a half away) about that model since the one in town didn’t have that either. They emailed me back with a “how about a TRD Pro in Cement for $41,800?” Put a deposit on it and got it February 15. LOVE it! I live on a gravel road which was tearing up my previous car, especially the tires. My road is no problem for this one and it also handles great on the curves on pavement. Really fun to drive. Plan to take it off roading since that’s what it’s built for but haven’t yet.

I’m thinking about selling mine……I put the Protective clear film on the whole front to protect it and a few other cool things…. I paid 48,900 for it and that’s what I would probably sell it for…. it has 9,000 miles my name is Cindy Long and my cell is 901-270-8882 I LOVE IT but I have 3 Vehicles and I just think someone else will enjoy this more than me

Hey guys, I’m Seth and I work for a dealership in Memphis. We get a Pro 4Runner from allocation (not presold) about every 2-3 months. I have 2 Calavary Blue and 1 Black that are inbound and took a deposit on both blues several months ago (one of them arrived today!). They really are a hot commodity. We have the black one inbound and should be here around late April or early May. If you’re interested call me at the dealership. 901-758-4040. About 8 of us here at the dealership have 4Runner’s and they are amazing, but just 2 TRD’s. So much fun to drive and tough to get stuck!!